New AfDB Executive Director Visits Sudan

The Executive Director of the African Development Bank, Alieu Ngum, representing the constituency comprising Sudan, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone concluded a two-day visit to Khartoum on Monday, November 18. ED Ngum’s visit is part of a consultation to countries in his constituency, having assumed office in the Bank in the last four months. In two separate meetings on November 17, ED Ngum, accompanied by the Res. Rep, Abdul Kamara, briefed the State Minister of Finance, Magdi Yassin, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Sudan, Mohamed Khair Elzubair, on the Bank’s strategic orientation and focus during the next decade.

The Executive Director commended the Government of Sudan for recent progress in implementing the post secession agreements with the Government of South Sudan and initiating dialogue with the international community on debt relief. He underscored that the Bank’s Ten Year Strategy is crafted around inclusive growth with a gradual transition to green growth. He also intimated the move by the Bank to increase borrowing options and access to the Bank’s non-concessional resources by low-income countries, including those in his constituency, and affirmed his commitment to ensure that countries in his constituency take full advantage of these financing opportunities and options. Both the State Minister and the Central Bank Governor strongly welcomed the visit by the Executive Director, and used the opportunity to commend the work of the African Development Bank in Sudan, which they said has been critical in helping them adjust to the current political and economic challenges.

The Central Bank Governor also briefed the Executive Director on the recent progress in preparation for debt relief, including the preparation of a debt relief strategy which was presented to the Technical Working Group on Sudan’s debt at the IMF/World Bank meeting in Washington, DC in October 2013. He also informed the Executive Director of the establishment of a tripartite committee on debt comprising the African Union, the Government of Sudan and the Government of South Sudan. Both the Governor and the Minister requested the Bank to scale-up its ongoing technical assistance in the area of debt relief and public financial management. The Executive Director assured them of the Bank’s continued commitment to supporting Sudan and its people.

The Executive Director also held meetings with Joint Special Representative and Joint Chief Mediator at the United Nations–African Union Hybrid Mission in Darfur (UNAMID); the Director of Operations, Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA); the Executive Director of Mamoun Beheiry Centre; the Acting Country Manager of the World Bank; and held a working dinner with key African Ambassadors including the Ambassador of the AU Liaison Office in Sudan, and the Ambassadors of Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Morocco, among others.